Things That Should Not Be on Your Resume
Ellen, Business & Career Center
Your resume should be customized each time you apply for a job, to emphasize the specific skills and experience and strengths that make you a strong match for that job’s requirements. Information that is unrelated to the position should be minimal, so the reader can easily find the relevant info. Here are some other things that should not be on your resume, whatever position you are applying for at the moment: • Street address: For your location, city and state are sufficient. • An unprofessional…
Into the Details: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs)
Ellen, Business & Career Center
When job seekers are writing or editing their resumes and cover letters, they are not always thinking about what happens to their application documents once they are submitted. In this post, we’ll talk about Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs), which are often the first hurdle to get past in the job search process. What is an ATS? Why do employers use them? The ATS is software that scans the text of your resume (and/or cover letter), for certain pieces of information (including keywords), to determine how…
Dishonesty During the Job Search - Part 2
Ellen, Business & Career Center
In Part 1 of this two-part post, we talked about some ways in which job seekers lie during the job search. Here we discuss what is likely to happen if you are dishonest when job hunting. Getting caught and consequences Employers don’t want employees who are dishonest; they are a liability. Employers will assume that job applicants are on their best behavior during the job search, and if that includes lying or other deceptive behavior, they can only expect more of the same from the applicant if they…
Dishonesty During the Job Search - Part 1
Ellen, Business & Career Center
This is Part 1 of a two-part post, where we discuss some of the ways people lie and misrepresent themselves while looking for work. The continuing Hilaria-Baldwin-pretending-to-be-Spanish scandal, which is both entertaining and disturbing, got me thinking about dishonesty in the job search. Presenting yourself as something you’re not, or as having knowledge and skills you don't actually have, in order to find employment, make money, and/or promote yourself, can be very tempting. This is especially…
Jumping to Where the Jobs Are
This post is by guest writer Mark Daly, who is a Job Information Resource Librarian in the Business & Career Center, and recently gave a presentation on "Where the Jobs Are" for our patrons. “How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” -- The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway The rapid outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the United States this spring forced equally rapid changes in how many of us earn our living. Ways of working…
Into the Details: The Resume Summary
Ellen, Business & Career Center
This is the first of a series, “Into the Details”, where we discuss a specific aspect of freelancing, job hunting, entrepreneurship, or other work-related topic. For this post we’ll be covering do’s and don’ts and tips for writing the Summary section of your resume. Summary vs. Objective Resumes used to begin, right after the applicant’s name and contact info, with a brief Objective statement, which either gave the reader information they already knew (“Seeking a position as a [title]”) or were so general that they offered no useful information at all (“Seeking a position where I may…